Time Blocking
Do you ever feel overwhelmed with the sheer amount of tasks that seem to multiply on your to-do list every day? I get overwhelmed by simply remembering to put all the tasks that zip through my head, from morning to night, on my list for the following day. Do you get my drift? It’s not fun. Productivity can be a drag when you’re feeling like you’re constantly getting sucked into mental quicksand. So when I came across time blocking and its reported effectiveness in helping unfocused peeps tune in and do more in less time I was all in.
I’ve listened to Lauryn of The Skinny Confidential talk a bunch about time blocking and its effectiveness in helping her be uber-productive and organized in life. She’s a total woo woo working woman and is a savage at managing her career while being completely dedicated to her wellness and beauty. When Lauryn says something is a true life hack then I listen. If you haven’t checked out her blog or podcast you are missing out.
Time blocking is a time management tool and productivity hack that basically involves batching out your time through the day to dedicated tasks. For example, if you have to finish a work project or even swap your winter closet out for summer you would assign time increments to completing the task until it is finished. You choose the increment that feels right to you but generally, its recommended to stay under one hour. I use 30-minute increments and I bought the super cute pink timer pictured above to help me with tracking. Productivity can be pretty too.
I find this method super useful because most days I am navigating amongst different roles and their related tasks. What I mean is that I have my job, my wellness, and my woo. Each role has its own separate to-do list. If I want to be successful in all my areas then I need to be able to dedicate time to each of these areas throughout the day. My days vary so much so I love the freedom of being able to spend more time on certain roles. If work is super busy I may need 10 thirty-minute intervals to finish a work project and reply to emails. If it’s a little quieter I’ll focus my intervals on my website and writing content or taking pictures. I’ll sprinkle some wellness intervals throughout the day for workouts or dry brushing or meditating. Whatever feels right for the particular moment.
For me the beauty of this method is removing distractions for short periods of time, Distraction is like that annoying kid back in elementary school that sat behind you and kept tapping you on the back. In all fairness, I was probably the annoying kid trying to get your attention. You sit down to do some work and you suddenly remember you need to order that supplement on Amazon or your friend sends you a funny meme on Instagram or you suddenly feel hungry. We are just like kites in the wind my friends. Time blocking allows you to put on blinders and commit to ONLY the one task in front of you. I have found it much easier to redirect and tell myself I’ll order that new moisturizer on Sephora after I finish this work interval.
I want to clarify that I use my own modified version of time blocking or task batching as opposed to what may be the dictionary definition. All the fun lies in making it your own. I know that batching my time, tasks, roles, or whatever you wanna call it helps me stay more focused. I commit to looking at work and only work for 30 minutes at a time so Instagram please hold. I’ve linked a couple of posts that I have found helpful for creating my process. Make sure to dedicate an interval to learning more about time blocking and enjoy!
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